Saturday, March 27, 2010

Home Sweet Home

After 36 hours of travel, I arrived at our sleepy little Northwest Arkansas airport. I have never been so happy to see my sweet husband. And the reunion with my two little ones was like water to my soul.

Back at home, my bed is softer, the shower hotter, the food yummier and the streets cleaner than I remembered. All these comforts and a thousand more welcomed me back home. And even though I am enjoying and thankful for all of these pleasant things in my life, each one reminds me of the people I met in India who are still in the midst of hardship even as I am enjoying my comfortable life.

I crawl into my soft and waiting bed, and I see the small child curled up with his mother, sleeping on the street; the fabric of her sari pulled up over his head to shield his face from the noise and dust of the Kolkata night air.

I raise my fork to my mouth, and I remember the children begging from car window to car window as we wait for traffic to pass. I wonder if those children even get the money they are begging for, or if there is someone waiting for them at "home" with an open hand to confiscate all they have received.

I throw a load of laundry into my washing machine, and I picture the women in the river, slapping their clothes against rocks to get them clean.

I take a long, hot shower, and I remember the dozens of men, women and children I saw lathering up with soap in the street. And then I'm humbled when I think of the new friends in their Kolkata home, showering with a bucket and a faucet of cold water so that they can be present in a dark place to spread the love of Christ.

I'm seeing my life in America through a new set of lenses these days. I'm thankful for all I have received, and I know I haven't done anything to deserve the easy life I've been handed. Even though it is so nice to be home, I'm wrestling with reconciling all my eyes have seen in the past two weeks with my plush life in America.

Many more posts to come. I have pictures to show and stories to tell! But for tonight, I'm snuggling up with my little family, enjoying their company and trying to overcome jet lag.

3 comments:

Tammy
said...

Love it! It's surely amazing what happens to your heart once your eyes have been opened to places outside of the USA. May God grant you peace and clarity as you sort through all that you saw and experienced! Love you!

i understand...it's more of an adjustment to live in the states after a trip in a place like that. we have it so good here in the states. so glad you are home and can't wait to hear about your journey!-allison